Grave Covenant

Grave Covenant.jpg
Grave Covenant
Product information
Type Novel
Author Michael A. Stackpole
Pages 324
Cover Artwork Roger Loveless
Publication information
Publisher Roc Books
First published 01 September 1997
ISBN-10 0451456130
ISBN-13 978-0451456137
Content
Era Clan Invasion era
Timeline 3058 – 3059
Series Twilight of the Clans
Preceded by Exodus Road
Followed by The Hunters

Grave Covenant, by Michael A. Stackpole, is the second book in the Twilight of the Clans series.

The novel was made available on BattleCorps on 26 July 2010 as a PDF file (text only, without cover, pictures, or any other interior artwork except for the usual BattleCorps frame graphics). The PDF copy includes a disclaimer stating that it was created from a pre-final edition text that might differ from the printed version and that canon-wise, the print edition trumps the PDF edition.

From the back cover

“ Possessing precious secret information that will lead them down the Exodus Road, the Inner Sphere Successor States can now meet the Clans on their own terms... and behind enemy lines. The Herculean task of amassing enough power means re-establishing the legendary Star League—a union of Successor States and their BattleMechs led by Victor Steiner-Davion. But with the deadly game of politics make the Successor Lords wary of alliance, and Victor's Machiavellian sister, Katrina Steiner, hatching more vicious plots to further her own agendas, the war against the Clans may only be a distraction from the real danger... ”

Summary

This novel has three major sections.

The longest section is the follow up to the novel "Malicious Intent" and covers the political intrigues of the "Whitting Conference" on Tharkad. Tharkad has all the major house powers conspiring against each other to achieve their varied ends while nominally creating the Second Star League and planning a counter offensive to the clans.

Some of the major early plot points are the relationship between Victor and Omi Kurita, and the work of Katherine Steiner Davion to counter Victor Davion, while courting Favor with Sun-Tzu Liao and Thomas Marik.

There is also some very early foreshadowing with the relationship between Isis Marik and Victor Davion.

A lot of the major decisions about the Twilight of the clans are made at this conference, including the decision to focus on a single clan for extermination, the decision to make it the smoke Jaguars and the decision to put Focht and Victor in charge of the operation.

Late in the planning Comstar reveals the Exodus road, and it is decided to send a force to hit Huntress at the same time the general invasion of the Jaguars is performed.

It is also revealed that the Nova Cats have been conspiring with the Draconis Combine, to join the Second Star League.

One of the interesting sub plots on Tharkad is Sun-Tzu's bid to be the first First Lord of the second star league. This ends up working, when Victor backs the plan to spite Katherine.

On Strana Mechty, the clans are plotting the election of the next IlKhan, and the Wolves and the Falcons are working together to set the Smoke Jaguars up to fail as the IlKhan.

The next section of the novel is something of a short interlude. It covers the introduction of Victor Davion to the Kurita Family, on Luthien, and peaks with Victor saving Omi from assassins, while being severely injured.

The final portion of the novel covers snippets from the various battle of Operation Bulldog. This portion contains some major character combat, including fighting by Victor in his Daishi alongside a Penetrator taking down a star. It has a major scene of the major Clan Wolf players, Phelan, Ranna, and Ragmussan in a Gladiator, Warhawk and Ice Ferret against a trio of Jaguars in single combat.

The results of the campaign against the clans is seen on Strana Mechty, as the Wolves and Falcons conspire to ensure that the Jaguars receive no support from other clans.

The book closes out with the war going so well for the Inner Sphere that the Jaguars begin to flee the inner sphere, causing Victor to realise that task force Serpent is likely to be overwhelmed with all the returning units on Huntress, and deciding to mount a second expedition to Huntress to reinforce them.

In trying to talk Victor out of this path, Focht reveals he is in fact Frederick Steiner, while trying to convince Victor not to go, as he expects Katherine to take advantage of his absence to destroy the new unity of the inner Sphere.

Featured characters

Featured places

Featured BattleTech Equipment

BattleMechs

DropShips

JumpShips

Vehicles


Foreign-Language Editions

German

A German edition, translated by Reinhold H. Mai, was published by Heyne in 1998 as Heimatwelten (ISBN 9783453133426).[1] This was republished as an EPUB by Ulisses Spiele in 2021 as BattleTech Legenden 39 : Heimatwelten (ISBN 9783963317255).[2]

Hungarian

A Hungarian edition, translated by Novák Gábor, was published by Beholder in 2002 as Kényszerszövetség.[3]

Russian

A Russian edition, translated by M. Levin, was published by Дрофа (Drofa) in 2002 as Возрождение Завета (ISBN 5710763489) as part of a series produced in collaboration with Армада-пресс (Armada-Press). [4] [5]

Spanish

A Spanish edition, translated by Jaime de Marcos Andreu, was published by Timun Mas in 1999 as Pacto mortal.

Covers

  • Original 1997 cover. Art by Roger Loveless.

  • 1998 German edition.

  • 2021 German edition (reprint).

  • 2002 Hungarian edition.

  • 2002 Russian edition.

  • Spanish edition.

References

  1. ↑ Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Catalog entry for Heimatwelten
  2. ↑ Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Catalog entry for BattleTech Legenden 39 : Heimatwelten
  3. ↑ Beholder product page for Kényszerszövetség
  4. ↑ Science Fiction Lab Book description for Возрождение Завета
  5. ↑ National Library of Russia description for Возрождение Завета

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